Over the past four years, the federal government has introduced sweeping changes to Canada’s immigration policy with unprecedented speed – and with serious consequences for the country’s reputation, economy and nation-building goals, according to the Toronto think tank Maytree.

In a report released on Thursday entitled “Shaping the future: Canada’s rapidly changing immigration policies,” authors Naomi Alboim and Karen Cohl warn that the rapid reforms could threaten how potential immigrants perceive the country, deterring the people who are needed the most.